Four Drowned Boat Accident Sabaskong Bay

The following is a transcript of an article from the Kenora Daily Miner, originally published November 9, 1932, regarding a boating accident near Nestor Falls and involving the owner of at least two camps in the area, Dennis Chabot.

Four Drowned Boat Accident Sabaskong Bay

Dennis Chabot, Einar Peterson and Two Children Lost – Mrs. Peterson Escapes

Wet, terrified and bewildered, a woman who for a night and a day was trapped on an isolated island without food, water or shelter brought word to Fort Frances Saturday, of the drowning of her husband and two daughters and their guide.
The victims were Einar Peterson, of Chicago, his two small daughters, and Dennis Chabot, former American actor and owner of a tourist resort at Sabaskong Bay.
Rescued by Indians passing in a canoe. Mrs. Einar Peterson was brought here half hysterical from a terrifying experience.
Accompanying her husband, their two young daughters and a guide, Mrs. Peterson left with the party Thursday night in an outboard motorboat for Dennis Chabot’s camp five miles from Nestor Falls, on the Lake of the Woods.
Heavy winds made it difficult for the small boat to force its way through the sweeping waves, Mrs. Peterson said, and suddenly the boat was swamped and the entire party thrown into the water.
Four Disappear
The woman managed to cling to the overturned boat but Peterson and Chabot attempted to swim each with one of the girls to shore. In the darkness, Mrs. Peterson said she saw all four suddenly disappear in the cold water. She never saw them after.
The boat finally floated shoreward and Mrs. Peterson, almost exhausted pulled herself up on a small island. All night long and the following day she was forced to remain in the cold shelter of a bush.
Passing Indians discovered her yesterday afternoon and brought her to another of Chabot’s camps from where news of the tragedy was relayed to Fort Frances.
The Petersons had come up from Chicago for a hunting excursion with Chabot, but they had not registered at the hotel and details of identification were lacking. The youngsters were said to have been about four and five years of age.
Chabot was on of the best known tourist camp operators on the Lake of the Woods. A former actor, he toured many states in winter, advertising the attractions of the Lake of the Woods region. He is believed to have been about 50 years old, and as far as is known his wife is the only surviving relative.
Provincial Constables K.A. Patterson and D. Hamilton, of Fort Frances, have gone to Sabaskong Bay to supervise dragging operations.